Egypt and Ivory Coast will clash at Stade Adrar in the quarter-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The latter are the current champions, and they will be keen to retain their continental title when they face the Pharaohs in this year’s competition.
Match previewEgypt needed extra time to get past the challenge of Benin with a 3-1 scoreline, but they face a bigger test against Ivory Coast, who are the defending champions of the competition.
The Pharaohs appeared to be coasting to a victory before the West Africans pegged them back in the closing stages of the game, dragging the fixture into extra time.
Despite the scoreline, the North Africans were far from impressive, but that victory ensured that they extended their unbeaten run against African teams to 14 fixtures, with 12 wins and two draws in that run.
Unbeaten in their last five games, with four wins and a draw, Hossam Hassan’s team will be looking to keep up that momentum on Saturday.
A victory against the current champions on Saturday will be a giant stride in their quest for an eighth continental trophy, further extending their success in Africa’s football showpiece.
© Imago / DeFodi Images
Meanwhile, Ivory Coast recorded their biggest victory of the 2025 competition when they dispatched Burkina Faso 3-0 in the round of 16.
Two first-half goals from Amad Diallo and Yan Diomande ensured that the Elephants got themselves off to a great start, before Bazoumana Toure added the third with three minutes left in regulation time.
That victory meant that they have made the knockout stages in 10 of their last 11 Africa Cup of Nations outings.
The Ivorians will enter this encounter unbeaten in their last four games (W4, D1), and that will give them some measure of confidence against the tricky Egyptians.
Egypt Africa Cup of Nations form:
Egypt form (all competitions):
Ivory Coast Africa Cup of Nations form:
Ivory Coast form (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago
Not much is expected to change in terms of Egypt’s starting XI, with the regulars who are fit expected to feature on Saturday.
However, the medical team will be sweating over the fitness of Mahmoud Trezeguet Hassan, who tore a ligament in their victory over Benin.
Trezeguet joins full-back Mohamed Hamdy, who has been ruled out of the rest of the competition after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament.
Apart from those two, Hassan has a large number of players to choose from for the clash against the current champions.
For Ivory Coast, they will have to make alternative plans in the absence of Christ Inao Oulai, who is suspended for this encounter due to card accumulation.
However, they still have the luxury of fielding Manchester United’s Amad Diallo, who has recorded three goals so far in this competition.
Egypt possible starting lineup:
El Shenawy; Fatouh, Rabia, Ibrahim, Hany; Adel, Fathy, Attia; Ashour, Marmoush, Salah
Ivory Coast possible starting lineup:
Y. Fofana; Doue, Kossounou, Ndicka, Konan; Kessie, Sangare, S. Fofana; Diallo, Guessand, Diomande
We say: Egypt 1-2 Ivory CoastWhile Egypt have a rich history in the Africa Cup of Nations, and the talent of Mohamed Salah to boot, Ivory Coast have the momentum, and that could serve as a confidence booster for Emerse Fae’s team.
Therefore, we are backing the West Africans to claim a 2-1 win this weekend in Agadir.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
